Queens Writer Lost Without  A Trace In Caribbean

Helicopters are probing, dogs are searching. Pictures of the 29-year-old travel writer from Astoria offering monetary rewards have been posted all over the island of Jamaica. All in the hope of finding the young woman who has been missing since May 27. In an interview with The Queens Courier, Jamaica police have revealed that despite their exhaustive efforts, there have been no leads and her family and friends are becoming skeptical that their worst fears may be true.
"Were doing everything we can to find her," Negril Deputy Police Supt. Linette Williams told the Courier. "People have been trying to be as helpful as they can and we have had many people call up with tips, but none of them have satisfied the description of the woman we are looking for. Yesterday afternoon we got a call from someone, but it turned out to be unsubstantiated. It has been really disappointing so far."
The young lady, Claudia Kirschhoch, an editor for Frommers Travel Guides, 
flew to Jamaica on May 24 with three other journalists on a press junket sponsored by the Sandals Beaches chain. According to her friend and colleague, Tanya Grossinger, the four planned on visiting a Sandals resort in Cuba, but problems with their travel visas forced them to cancel the trip. She and Kirschhoch instead took up the companys offer to stay at its Negril hotel. Grossinger had breakfast with her the next morning, but left that day. Kirschhoch was expected to return to the United States on June 1, but when she did not check out of her hotel that day, hotel managers entered her room, finding her passport, camera, cell phone, credit cards and other possessions. They immediately called the police and she has been missing since.
Police have been frantically searching for clues. Kirschhoch apparently told Grossinger that she had gone to a club the night before they had their last breakfast, with the hotel bartender. But he was ruled out as a suspect, leaving the authorities clueless. While Grossinger was with her, the two spent most of their time together at the local bars and beaches. However, Kirschhoch decided to stay longer than her friend so that she could continue exploring Jamaica, travel to Kingston, which was 150 miles away, and visit the Bob Marley museum. It is not clear if she ever made it past Jamaica.
"All of Jamaica is concerned," said Orell Simpson, crime chief of the 75-member police department. "Its all very frustrating."
Kirschhochs parents, escorted by Michael Spring, publisher of Frommers, travelled to Jamaica to help in the search. The New Jersey couple is offering a $6,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of their daughter. Both the family and her friends are growing extremely frightened about what might have become of the Queens woman.
Kirschhochs friend Paulette Cooper, a fellow writer, feels especially bad because she offered her the free trip, who likened the sorrow she feels to giving a friend an airline ticket to a plane that crashes. Other friends and colleagues have also expressed their grief, saying the young Astoria woman was adventurous and free-spirited. Kirschhocks sister, Debbie Martin described her as an accomplished travel writer and said she admires her ability to get along with everyone she meets. She also praised the Jamaica police for their vast efforts.
Kirschhoch is about 57", slim, with long, brown dark hair. If anyone has information, they are being asked to call the Negril Police Department at (876) 957-5216 for more information.